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Heritabilities for Growth and Carcass Traits Estimated from Data on Herefords under Commercial Conditions¹

University of Georgia, Athens 30602

Abstract

Feedlot and carcass performance records for 5,992 Hereford steers and 2,482 Hereford heifers by 1,524 sires were used to estimate heritabilities for postweaning growth and carcass characteristics. Heritabilities were estimated from covariances among paternal half sibs on an age-constant basis and also with carcass weight held constant. Heritability estimates on an age-constant basis with sexes combined were: feedlot average daily gain, .52 ± .04; weight off test, .52 ± .04; hot carcass weight .48 ± .04; dressing percentage, .31 ± .04; ribeye area, .40 ± .04; fat thickness over the 12th rib, .52 ± .04; cutability percentage, .49 ± .04; marbling score, .47 ± .04, and retail yield, .45 ± .04. Estimates from heifer data were generally lower than those from steer data. Sex differences were small except for marbling score, for which heritability values of .56 ± .05 and .17 ± .10 were estimated from the steer and heifer data sets, respectively. Combinations of covariates in the model and adjustment for carcass weight altered the estimates of heritability only slightly, except when slaughter age was left out of the model.

¹ The author expresses his appreciation to the American Hereford Association for providing these data and to Ms. Del Little, Data Lab., Anim. and Dairy Sci. Dept., for her assistance in the statistical analyses.

² Anim. and Dairy Sci. Dept.